Automatic water-discharge trap for gas-mains.



H. J. AHOLA.

AUTOMATIC WATER DlSCHARGE TRAP FOR GAS MAINS.-

APPLICATION FILED Nov.2,1914.

l 1 83,5 1 3 Patented May 16, 1916.

' 'INVENTOR. WITNESSES: 51/} '4 ATTORNEYS.

HENRY J. AHOLA, OF WEST DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

AUTOMATIC WATEBPDISCHARGE TRAP FOR GAS-IlYlZAIIZN'S.

Application filed November 2, 1914. Serial N 0. 869,814,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. AHoLA, a subject of the Czar of Russia, residing at West Duluth, in the countyof St. Louis and.

State of Minnesota,- have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Water-Discharge Traps for Gas-Mains, of

which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic water discharge traps for gas mains, the primary object of which is to produce a simple and inexpensive device which will automatically separate the water from the gas and discharge the separated water from the separating device.

The accompanying drawing shows a vertical section through my improved discharge trap, showing the pipe connections thereto in perspective. t

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate similar parts, 1 represents a completely inclosed tank preferably of metal construction and rectangular in shape. Within the center of the bottom of the tank 1 is inserted a hollow plug 2, the inner end of which is shaped to form a valve seat 3 which seat is made flush with the inner face of the bottom'of the tank. A suitable housing 4 is provided for the valve seat 3 and is carried by the bottom of the tank 1.' This housing 4 is provided with a plurality of limber openings 5 in its abutting edge with the bottom of the tank which serve to allow the liquid from the interior of the tank passing therefrom into a discharge pipe 6, from where above the seat.

it may be discharged into a suitable waste pipe or sewer as desired.

Cooperating with the valve seat 3, is a valve 7 vertically reciprocally mounted This valve 7 is provided with a vertically extending stem 8 which passes through and has a, bearing in the upper end wall of the housing 4. This stem extends upwardly to a point approximately near the upper end of the tank 1. Around the stem 8 and rigidly fixed thereto adjacent the housing 4, is a float 9 which is preferably of a rectangular elongated form in cross section, the outermost walls of which are made to nearly coincide with the boundary walls of the tank 1. A similarly shaped float 10 also surrounds the valve stem 8 and is loosely mounted thereupon.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916.

This float 1Q is designed to rest upon the float 9 when it is not buoyed upwardly by the action of the liquid accumulated within the tank 1. This float 10 has lateral dimensions practically equal to those of the inside of the tank 1 so that any lateral movement thereof will not materially affect the valve stem 8 to cause any disarrangement thereof. This float remains free'to be raised or lowered a limited distance by the action of the liquid within the tank without affecting the valve stem 8.

The upward limitation of the float 10 is adjustably governed by means of a nut 11 screw-threaded upon the uppermost end of the valve stem 8.- The lowermost vertical limitation of the float 10 is governed by the valve stem 8, and the float 9 upon which the float 10 will rest at such times as when the liquid in the tank is lift the float 10.

An intake pipe 12 has communication with the tank 1 at a level slightly above the float 10 when the said float is in its uppermost position. While only one intake pipe is shown, a gas discharge pipe might also be connected to the tank about the highwaterline and in this case the tank 1 would be installed within the pipe-line. However; it is here shown as being at the terminus of the pipe-line and it is evident that the pipe 12 may lead from the main line of pipe at any desired point where water is wont to collect. 4

The operation ofmy device is as follows: Gas is admitted into the tank 1 through the intake pipe 12 and there the water condenses from the gas and falls into the bottom of the tank 1. The valve 7 is normally held seated not sufliciently high to in its seat 3 through the weight of the valve,

valve stem 8. This float 10 will be raised until its upper face comes in contact with the nut 11 when it will raise the float 9 and valve stem 8 and unseat the valve 7. This valve being unseated, the liquid will pass from the tank through the limber openings made to suit thecircumstances.

5 and be passed ofif through the discharge .to resume its position upon the float 9 where its added weight will, as the water continues to lower, again close the valve 7 and thus stop the discharge of water from the tank.

It is quite evident that as the .tank fills again with water, the valve 7 will remain closed until such time as the float 10 will rise and engage the. nut or stop 11 which will then release the valve as before described. Thus the volume of water intermittently contained and discharged by the tank is governed by the reciprocal float 10 and the limit of the vertical movement of the float may be Thus the present improvement is a practical automatic-discharge trap for gas mains which will effectually care for the. collection of water within the mains.

As a precaution against the failure of the valve 7 to operate properly at any time and thus permit of all the water in the tank 1 leaving the same and also allowing the gas from the intake 12 to discharge through the pipe'fi, we have providedga safety lever valve 13, such as is in common use, the lever 14 of which has rigidly suspended therefrom the arm 15 vertically within the tank 1 and which has attached at its lower extremity the float 16. Thisfloat 16 is so located as to be just below the lowest point reached by the float 9. 7

It is apparent from the above that should the valve 7 fail at any time in its proper operation in such a manner as to allow all of the water in the tank 1 to discharge through the pipe 6, there will, likewise, be a -gas. supplied the safety lever valve 13, whose ledischarge of gas directly from the intake 12 tothe discharge pipe 6, which would be a dangerous condition as well as'a waste of However, as above described, we have ver 11 is. operated by means of the float l6 and the connecting rod 15.

It will be apparent that while there is a constant amount of water in the tank 1, there will be a continuous upward pressure upon the float 16, it being submerged to a point lower than the lowest sinking point of float, 9. ,This pressure will tend to keep mal conditions. However, should the water, through some failure of the valve 7, entirely escape from the tank 1, the float 16 will descend with same by gravity, thus closing the valve 13' and preventing a further flow of gas into the tank.

Vertical conduits or tubes 17 are formed in the floats 9 and 10 through which the rod 15 may freely reciprocate without aflecting the floats or the latter affecting the rod.

Having thusffully described my invention the valve 13 open under all norwhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a The combination with a tank having an inlet, an outlet, two thin flatautomatically cooperative floats for controlling the-outlet, and a third float for controlling the inlet, of means whereby the stem of the latter float passesthrough the former floats and acts as a guide thereto. 1

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY J. AHOLA.

Witnesses: W. H. DENHAM,

S. G120. STEVENS. 

